Romania’s government collapses

On Tuesday, Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan lost a vote of no confidence initiated by the far-right Unity of Romanians party and the socialist Social Democrat Party. A total of 281 of the 464 members of the legislature voted to effectively end his 10-month tenure: He remains a caretaker of the EU member state until the legislature forms a new government. Bolojan is Romania’s fourth prime minister in 5½ years. Far-right parties are gaining ground in Europe, and the fact that it was able to ally with the Social Democrat party, Romania’s largest party, in this vote is yet another sign of strength. European political instability is leading to a backlash against democracy as a whole and the rise of a more stable, decisive, autocratic, aggressive government under a German strongman.